Wally Buys a Car

[Scrabjan1]

Beaver acted like he was about 7 years old. Waiting for Wally to come home with the car and acting like he’s racing around the room. Like how he did copying the Barons. I apologize to all the 7 year olds.

[Scrabjan1]

I still can’t get over how staged and scripted it was in Beaver the Hero when Beaver says “Oh cut it out Gilbert and Whitey.” They asked Beaver why he went to school, the coach should have given him the day off. Later Wally is like an adult telling Beaver he only caught a pass and he’s not any hero. So awkward how he says he’s turning into a “miserable guy” and Wally turns his back on him so forced.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

I still can’t get over how staged and scripted it was in Beaver the Hero when Beaver says “Oh cut it out Gilbert and Whitey.”

Yes, this line gets on my nerves.

For over an hour on the DVD set Mathers, Dow, and Billingsley (and Brian Levant, producer of the New LITB) discuss the show, and Mathers mentioned how he routinely rephrased lines on the read thru, and if the producers liked it, they kept his revisions. He should have said, Cut it out, guys, or Cool it, guys (well, maybe not that), and maybe they would have changed the line.

By the way, speaking of the New LITB, I might have mentioned on another thread, I read that show is tied up in legal limbo. It explains why we never see it.

[Scrabjan1]

Mathers probably did rephrase a line in the early seasons but his acting was so self conscious later he probably didn’t make waves. I think the only one who knew how to rephrase a line was Eddie. Ken was a good actor Mathers was almost unbearable to watch in season 6. Thank the lord for Eddie Haskell he saved the sinking ship. I can’t stand in interviews when Jerry Mathers keeps talking about the first time any show on TV showed the toilet it’s so overdone.

[stevea]

You nailed it. We had a big recap of that old story.

Since we're watching season 6 now on MeTV, it was easy for me to compare on the DVD retrospective, as they showed Mathers' early scenes. How much better he was early on! I think I read or heard somewhere he wanted out, by the time it was over. Probably in his book. It was obvious, Jerry.

[Scrabjan1]

Same thing happened to Johnny Crawford in the last season and Tony Dow. Tony kept doing this outward nose sniff before he spoke. Paul Peterson and Don Grady grew into their adolescent bodies quite well. It’s very hard to grow up in front of an audience so I do apologize.

[stevea]

I suppose so. Between Mathers and his "wool/well" and Dow and his sniff (which I will now notice!), I sometimes wonder if they pick this stuff up via acting lessons or someone's bad advice. Or maybe just a bad habit. You have a good point though--growing up is tough enough, but doing it in front of a camera, and having to memorize lines while going to school--it has to be hard on a kid.

I like some of the earlier Rifleman episodes. The best one is where Lucas and Mark are stranded in the desert.

[Scrabjan1]

Originally Posted by stevea

I like some of the earlier Rifleman episodes. The best one is where Lucas and Mark are stranded in the desert.

That episode called Ordeal is one of the best. Another perfect episode with genuine acting is The Vision when Mark contracts typhoid fever.

[stevea]

Yes that was a good one. I'm not a fan of all the bad guy ones--you've seen one and you've seen 'em all.

This show also has a great closing theme. It's in stereo on Youtube. If you look up Rifleman Theme, there is also a video called The Rifleman Theme Song Medley, by Texas fiddle boy. It's a little kid and his dad playing 2 themes from the show...considering it looks like they're just winging it, they're pretty good.

[Hazel Anyday]

Your "wool" is like my Beaver's down in the mouth, "yeth thir".